Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Behbahan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Behbahan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $517 in Behbahan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $788 in Behbahan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,059 in Behbahan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 96% more expensive than Behbahan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Behbahan 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$6.16 $6.16

-2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$14.19 $14.19

131.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$3.60 $3.60

96.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$0.98 $0.98

74.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.42 $0.42

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.21 $1.21

-35.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.64 $0.64

70.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.48 $0.48

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.54 $1.54

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.13 $1.13

93.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.18 $2.18

101.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$2.18 $2.18

158.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.05 $10.05

-11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$0.93 $0.93

151.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.76 $1.76

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.93 $0.93

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.51 $0.51

170.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.48 $0.48

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.46 $0.46

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.74 $0.74

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.26 $0.26

223.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.02 $1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.37 $2.37

-3.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.18 $0.18

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$10.12 $10.12

309.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.29 $0.29

406.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.27 $0.27

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$1.67 $1.67

363.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.73 $0.73

30.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$74.9K $74.9K

-75.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$80.9K $80.9K

-67.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$36.74 $36.74

123.87%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$2.04 $2.04

365.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$5.60 $5.60

332.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$15.94 $15.94

62.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$12.62 $12.62

50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.99 $1.99

97.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 $150

105.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$2,000 $2,000

198.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$24.14 $24.14

143.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$20.40 $20.40

58.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$73.3 $73.3

40.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$41.18 $41.18

163.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$283 $283

68.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$201 $201

88.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$633 $633

32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$314 $314

130.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,123 $1,123

148.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$592 $592

104.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Behbahan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $283 in Behbahan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Behbahan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $99.0 per month, with Behbahan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Behbahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Behbahan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $776 in Behbahan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $283 in Behbahan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $517 in Behbahan – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Behbahan runs roughly 309% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $517 in Behbahan versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Behbahan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Behbahan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Behbahan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Behbahan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.